Despite everyone's assumptions, we geeks are not always privy to the latest and greatest technology. If you're stuck with an old, slow, crappy computer, there are a few things you can do to make the best of a bad situation. Here are our top 10 favorites.

Dear Lifehacker, My computer's feeling a little sluggish lately and I want to boost its…
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7. Use Less Crappy Programs

If you're still using bloated behemoths like Adobe Reader, Norton Antivirus, or (shudder) iTunes, switch to something less crappy and you'll notice a world of difference in how your computer runs. We've rounded up the most crappy Windowsand Mac software as well as the superior alternatives that replace them. In almost every case, you should wind up with not only a better product, but something that runs much faster on your machine, too. When you have a choice of alternatives—in the case of iTunes, for example—go for the one that's lighter weight (say, foobar2000 for music). The less you strain your machine with bloated programs, the better.

Chrome 17 is out with a new prerendering feature designed to make your pages load faster, and both…
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5. Use Older Programs

If less crappy alternatives and speed-optimized programs just aren't an option, there's nothing wrong with using an older program to get the job done. Don't have the minimum system requirements for Photoshop CS5? See if you can find a copy of CS4 on eBay and use that instead. Don't have the power to run an expansive game like Skyrim? I hear Morrowind is still pretty damn good (not to mention cheaper than blazes). Running old programs isn't always the best idea—if your computer meets the minimum requirements, new programs are usually faster and more secure—but in some cases, especially games, using something a bit older can make your life a bit less frustrating.

4. Upgrade Your External Hardware

New computers offer more than just speed—they offer better external hardware, whether its a trackpad that doesn't suck, speakers that you can actually hear, or a built-in SD card reader. Sometimes, all you need to make a computer feel nicer is to get better external hardware. If you hate your trackpad or keyboard so much, find a better one and use it instead (I've found using a mouse instead of my netbook's trackpad makes a world of difference). Don't like the speakers? Get a nice set of headphones instead. Upgrade your CD burner from that old, slow model, or get an external drive to free up some space on your internal. External hardware won't necessarily make your computer run faster, but it can make you want to pull out your hair a bit less—and that's what making the best of a bad situation is all about.